Just the Facts: By car or by public transportation?

Israelis prefer their private vehicles despite the higher costs because of the ease and simplicity.

By MAYA CHOSHEN
just the facts motorization (photo credit: Courtesy)
just the facts motorization
(photo credit: Courtesy)
All too often, public transportation in Israel has slow service with long travel times and grossly inaccurate timetables.
Matters are made worse for passengers who need to transfer between systems. Not surprisingly, many Israelis prefer their private vehicles despite the higher costs because of the ease and simplicity. Another advantage of a private car is the freedom to travel on weekends and holidays, when many public transportation systems do not operate. However, the increased reliance on private vehicles incurs many economic and environmental costs, such as air, soil and water pollution, loss of open spaces, road congestion and higher rates of road accidents.
At the end of 2009 there were 2,458,700 motor vehicles in Israel – 79 percent of them private. The motorization rate was 326 vehicles per 1,000 persons. The motorization rate has risen over 20 years from 211/1,000 (vehicles per persons) in 1990 to 288/1,000 in 2000 to 326/1,000 in 2009. Nevertheless, Israel’s motorization rate is still lower than in other developed countries.
At the end of 2009, there were 168,700 motor vehicles in Jerusalem – 77% of them private. The motorization rate was 218 vehicles per 1,000 residents. A great degree of variance was found in the motorization rate in the different localities of metropolitan Jerusalem, where residents tend to commute daily for work, studies and other purposes. Not surprisingly, these rates corresponded directly to the socioeconomic status of the resident population of these localities. The lowest rates were found in the haredi localities of Modi’in Illit (43 vehicles per 1,000 residents) and Betar Illit (53 vehicles per 1,000). Higher motorization rates were found in Ma’aleh Adumim (281), Modi’in-Maccabim-Reut (301) and Mateh Yehuda (333). Abu Ghosh also had a higher motorization rate than Jerusalem – 228/1,000 compared to 218/1,000.
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